Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 1 SC476271 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered in March 2014 to provide care for up to 5 children who may experience emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were 5 children living at the home. All the children were spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/03/2025 Full Outstanding 27/02/2024 Full Outstanding 15/03/2023 Full Outstanding 19/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a culture of consultation in the home. Children are encouraged to share their wishes and feelings about living in the home, individually and as a group. Staff use these conversations to ensure children have a voice in the way the home is run, such as the meals offered and activities that are available. Children say that they value having this opportunity and feel listened to by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for children to be able to engage in education. All the children living in the home attend an education provision and are supported with boundaries and routines that prioritise school attendance. Staff support children with homework and to attend extra-curricular clubs and activities, meaning that children benefit fully from their education provision. This provides children with consistency in their daily routines and opportunities to thrive inside and outside the classroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities and are encouraged to try new things such as horse riding, boxing, gymnastics, Guides and Scouts, as well as learning to swim. Children say that they really enjoy the trips and holidays staff have taken them on and that they value the support they get to try new experiences. All the children are excited for the British Isles challenge that they will complete this year as a home activity, where they and staff will visit places in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to learn about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled in preparing children for independence. They support children to plan, buy ingredients and prepare meals and do their own laundry, as well as to use public transport independently. Children are given practical and emotional support when discussing their options for leaving the home. Staff positively support children to ensure that they understand all the circumstances of proposed moves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with the people who are important to them. This supports them to retain a sense of their identity and heritage. Staff know the children well and understand how best to support them. Staff ensure that plans and risk assessments for children are in place so that all adults know how to support the children they are caring for. However, these are not always reviewed by all the staff working in the home in a timely manner, meaning they are not fully aware of the most up to date plans for children

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is warm and welcoming, with lots of social space to play and complete homework. Children eat their meals together and say that they enjoy having social time at mealtimes. Staff support children to decorate their bedrooms to their own individual tastes and to reflect their likes and interests. Children’s bedroom spaces are respected by everyone living in the home. This supports children to develop a sense of belonging and identity. There are lots of photos around the home of the children engaging in activities and on holidays and celebrating their successes. Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know how to safely manage the use of restraint, and it is only ever used as a last resort. Staff prioritise de-escalation through therapeutic strategies before applying approved intervention techniques. When children are held, their views and feelings are gathered following the incident. The manager and senior leaders maintain strong oversight of incidents of restraint and use reflection and staff learning to improve approaches.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a significant increase in physical restraints, primarily relating to one child. The manager advocated for the child to move to a smaller home where the child’s individual needs were better able to be met. This has resulted in a reduction in physical interventions for the children who remain living in the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Door alarms are in place on the bedrooms of the younger children living in the home and are used every nighttime. Staff do not always talk to children about why a door alarm is used on their bedroom door. This means that children do not always understand how this approach keeps them safe. Local authority consent for door alarms to be used is not recorded for all the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff responded to missing episodes for one child no longer living in the home in an informed manner, using curiosity about why these incidents have taken place and ensuring that additional emotional support was offered to the child. The manager and staff demonstrate a reflective approach and learn from incidents to strengthen practice.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are trained to recognise and understand the risks for children of being online. This means that children can use the internet safely in the home. Staff are trained to administer and store medication safely. They talk to children about why they need to take medication. This supports children to enjoy positive physical and mental health.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff ensure that routines and boundaries in the home are consistent. Staff work to make sure that positive rewards are achievable and have individual meaning for each child. This supports children to understand the impact of their actions and any consequences put in place. Children know how to raise a complaint, and children can identify trusted staff who they would talk to it they had any concerns. This supports children to feel safe and to build trusting relationships with the adults who care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is compassionate, knowledgeable and dedicated to the children living in the home. They are currently working towards a leadership and management qualification. Staff say that they feel well supported by managers and leaders and valued for the work that they do. External professionals say that staff know the children well and share information about children in a timely manner. This supports children to be appropriately supported by all the adults who work with them. Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 5 Robust recruitment processes are in place, meaning children are cared for by adults who are safe to do so. Staff are offered a comprehensive training programme to support their ongoing development. This means that they have the knowledge and skills to keep children safe. Staff have completed their mandatory training within timescale. There are no vacancies in the staff team and only one dedicated bank staff member works in the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

home. This means that children are only cared for by staff they know.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings provide a space for learning and reflection and are complemented by monthly meetings with the provider’s in-house psychology service. This provides staff with an opportunity to consider personalised approaches required for children and to develop further skills and knowledge so that they can respond to children appropriately. Staff receive regular supervision and an annual appraisal which supports them with their learning and development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff support children to move into and out of the home well. The needs of the children already living in the home are considered while also seeking to understand the needs of the child moving in. The manager ensures that staff are provided with additional training to meet the individual needs of children. The manager and staff advocate for children when decisions are made for them to leave the home. This ensures that children are supported to move on from the home in a positive way. One child who has left the care of the home still contacts the home to speak to staff for support and advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has systems and processes in place to ensure their oversight of the home. However, some records are not always kept fully up to date with the most recent oversight of the plans for children. The provider is investing in a digital platform to enhance the manager’s oversight of plans and risk assessments for children. The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated to reflect the changes in the management team or staffing of the home over the last year. Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance. (Regulation 24 (1)(b)(c)) 20 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 28 February 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, to include all elements of restrictive practices used in the home. This includes the use of door alarms. In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff support children to understand the risks and why the door alarms are in use to reduce these risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.6)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s day-to-day health and wellbeing needs are met and that staff understand the health and education plans in place for each child living in the home. In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff keep the details of health and education plans for children up to date and that these are acted on in a timely manner. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations,

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3) Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Helen Dickens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC476271 9 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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